The Abington Police Department is encouraging parents to warn their children about the disease dangers of discarded needles.

ABINGTON – The hypodermic needle was sitting in a doughnut shop bathroom, left there by a man picked up by police for drug possession.

The recent arrest prompted Abington Police Chief David Majenski to warn the community this week about the dangers of improperly discarded needles and how to dispose of them safely.

“It’s kind of sad that when you send your child off to a public restroom, you should take a peek in there to make sure nothing is discarded,” Majenski said.

Residents in the area are no strangers to the discovery of used, disposable needles. They are found in bathrooms, on the side of the road and among weeds and trash in vacant lots.

But as the weather warms, Majenski said residents should be on heightened alert as they walk around town, recreation areas and beaches barefoot and in sandals.

“It’s a sad sign of the times, but it’s reality,” Majenski said, referring to an increase in heroin addiction.

When the state legalized the sale of disposable hypodermic needles without a prescription in 2006 in an effort to stop the spread of disease, it drove down the value of the needles, causing drug users to abandon them more readily, Majenski said.

If someone is stabbed by a dirty needle, whatever is inside it – from hepatitis C to an auto-immune disease like HIV – could infect that person, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“God knows, you have no idea,” Majenski said.

Abington police recommend that parents advise their children to stay away from any needle they discover and immediately notify a responsible adult. And unless the adult has an approved sharps container, adults should contact their local police, fire or medical waste facility for proper disposal.

In some communities, local health departments, pharmacies, health clinics, doctors offices or hospitals will properly dispose of used needles.

Abington police cruisers carry sharps containers and residents can purchase them from the health department for $12 and bring back full containers for safe disposal.